Washington County, MD, Historical Society

08/28/2026

Many thanks to Gruber-Latimer Restoration, a sponsor of our 2026 Historic Architecture of Washington County Bus Tour! Our bus tour is generously sponsored by Gruber-Latimer Restoration, making our program possible.

Gruber-Latimer Restoration is dedicated to preserving the architectural heritage of our communities through expert masonry restoration and historic preservation. For more than five decades, Gruber-Latimer has partnered with property owners, institutions, and public agencies to protect and revitalize historic brick and stone structures, ensuring their stories, craftsmanship, and cultural significance endure for future generations. Find out more about Gruber-Latimer Restoration by calling (301) 223-8848 or visiting their website at https://www.gruberlatimer.com/.

Thank you, Gruber-Latimer Restoration, for making our 2026 bus tour possible! For tickets and more information regarding the bus tour on Saturday, September 19, call the WCHS at (301) 797-8782 or visit Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/historic-architecture-of-washington-county-bus-tour-tickets-1997154557042.

08/27/2026

✨ Summertime at Pen Mar Park, 1916 ✨

Take a look at a group of friends enjoying summertime at Pen Mar Park, photographed on August 20, 1916. We love the summertime vibes in this recent donation to the WCHS Archives. What do you notice about these phoTake a look at a group of friends enjoying summertime at Pen Mar Park, photographed on August 20, 1916. We love the summertime vibes in this recent donation to the WCHS Archives. What do you notice about these photographs?

Did you know that summer officially lasts until Tuesday, September 22? There's still time left to enjoy your favorite summer activities! Let us know what you will be up to in the comments and check out our upcoming events (including our Historic Architecture of Washington County Bus Tour!) on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/43548811623?aff=ebdsshcopyurl.

08/26/2026

👻 Looking for a Summerween activity as summer winds down and fall approaches? Have an interest in local Civil War history? We have the perfect evening for you! Join us on Wednesday, September 16, at 6:00 PM as Mark P. Brugh visits the Miller House for a presentation and book signing for his newly released Ghosts of Antietam. 👻

This event is free for WCHS Members and $5.00 for General Admission tickets. We hope you join us as Mark Brugh shares stories from Ghosts of Antietam, explores Antietam Battlefield history, and relates the research and writing process of his new book!

To register for tickets, call (301) 797-8782 or visit our Eventbrite page at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ghosts-of-antietam-presentation-book-signing-tickets-1998916514103.

08/26/2026

08/25/2026

Spirits & Spirits returns this year as the Washington County Historical Society's annual fundraiser! This year Spirits & Spirits will be held at Springfield Manor in Williamsport, MD, on an early evening in October as the sun sets. Join us for live historical theatre, delicious spirits, and spirits seeking your help in solving a murder mystery set in 1776! And one of our favorite parts? You'll learn about Washington County history along the way!

For details and to purchase tickets, call the WCHS Offices at (301) 797-8782 or visit Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spirits-spirits-2026-at-springfield-manor-tickets-1997594584175.

08/24/2026

Check out our upcoming events and purchase tickets online through Eventbrite! Follow this link to visit our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/43548811623?aff=ebdsshcopyurl.

We can't wait to see you at our upcoming events and programs!

08/21/2026

Put on your detective cap, sip a cocktail, and learn about local history at September's upcoming Culture & Cocktails!

Join us on Friday, September 11, 2026, from 6:00-8:00 PM, as Vernell Doyle and Laura Marfut present a historical lecture, "The Missing Garnet Jex Painting and the Battle of Ball's Bluff."
The WCHS is excited to host Vernell Doyle from the Sharpsburg Historical Society and Laura Marfut from the Antietam Institute as they dive into a mystery for both art lovers and Civil War history buffs! This talk delves into the work of Garnet Jex (1895-1979), an American painter who created 51 watercolor paintings of the Civil War, and his missing painting! Vernell Doyle shares her story of searching for the painting and its discovery, and Laura Marfut discusses the painting's context.

Culture & Cocktails is generously sponsored by the James & Mary Schurz Foundation. C&C is held on the second Friday of each month from 6:00-8:00 PM. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Refreshments and one complimentary drink ticket are included with each ticket.
This month's cocktail is the Sherry Cobbler, a popular 19th century drink that combines sherry and citrus over crushed ice.
Link to Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/culture-cocktails-the-missing-garnet-jex-painting-tickets-1980738201280

08/20/2026

✨ 2026 Historic Architecture of Washington County Bus Tour ✨
Our Historic Architecture of Washington County Bus tour returns on Saturday, September 19, with a trio of Washington County properties in Hancock and Clear Spring. We are delighted to be working with the Clear Spring Historical Association who will offer a tour of Plumb Grove Mansion, as well as private homeowners for tours of historic Raymondhurst in Hancock and Montpelier in Clear Spring. We hope you join us!

For bus tour information and to reserve tickets, please call (301) 797-8782 or visit our Eventbrite listing at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/historic-architecture-of-washington-county-bus-tour-tickets-1997154557042

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08/19/2026

Thank you to Bill Stoler for sharing his presentation, "The 1955 National Fairchild Sports Car Races" at our August 14 Culture & Cocktails this past Friday. It was fascinating to hear about the largest sports car racing event on the east coast in 1955...held right in Hagerstown on the runways of the Hagerstown Municipal Airport!

Many thanks to Bill Stoler for sharing the history of this racing event. Bill, a motorsports photographer who covers vintage racing in the northeast, has spent years researching the 1955 Fairchild sports car races, gathering documentation and photographs, interviewing witnesses, and assisting in a 70th anniversary celebration of the race that took place at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum.

One exciting part of last Friday's talk was that three of our C&C guests had actually been to the 1955 race! Did you see the 1955 National Fairchild Sports Car Races or know someone who did? We'd love to hear more about it!

08/18/2026

Step into a slice of 1940s history! Two photos are featured here: one captures the last trolley cars completing their final journey in Williamsport, while the other showcases the charming facade of an apartment building on W. Antietam St.

What stories or memories come to mind when you see these scenes from 1940s Washington County? If you could step into one of these photos, what would you want to discover or ask someone from that era?